Conservapedia - User contributions [en]

Chocolate

2018-01-03T18:23:56Z

BrendanCharlesCook: Clarified the probable origins of the cocao plant in South America.

'''Chocolate''' is a foodstuff, originating from the [[cocoa bean]]. Chocolate is often used in desserts. [[Belgium]] is famous around the world for its chocolate.<ref>http://www.eupedia.com/belgium/belgian_chocolate.shtml</ref>

==History==
Chocolate probably originated in [[South America]] and was likely brought to [[Mexico]] by the Aztecs. A chocolate beverage called ''xocolatl'' (the Nahuatl source of the word ''cocoa'') that was the precursor to hot chocolate, but bitter and stronger, was a popular drink among them.<ref>http://www.godivachocolates.co.uk/the-history-of-chocolate-mayans-aztecs.html</ref> [[Montezuma]] drank around 50 cups of this beverage a day, according to legend. Chocolate was spread to the [[Old World]] after [[Hernan Cortes]] conquered Mexico and traded cocoa beans to [[Europe]] in exchange for European goods as part of the [[Columbian exchange]]. The Spanish made it into the drink we know today, heating the drink and adding [[sugar]]. Soon, chocolate was extensively used in desserts and drinks. Today, chocolate is produced throughout the equatorial portions of the world, from [[Venezuela]] to [[Madagascar]]. Half of the world's chocolate is now produced in the [[Ivory Coast]] under what are often terrible working conditions.

In 1765, chocolate production began in the New World. A water-powered mill in Dorchester, Massachusetts operated by John Hanan processed cocoa brought in from the West Indies by ship.<ref>http://0-academic.eb.com.www.consuls.org/levels/collegiate/article/82278</ref>

==Usage==
Nowadays, chocolate is most often eaten in the form of candy bars or hot cocoa (although chocolate eggs and rabbits are often available for sale during [[Lent]] since they are eaten in celebration of [[Easter]]). The top ten chocolate manufacturers in 2005 sold about US $42 billion in confectionary.<ref>[http://www.icco.org/about/chocolate.aspx The Chocolate Industry]</ref> There is a common belief that chocolate is bad for people's health and that it causes [[acne]]. In actuality, however, chocolate contains large amounts of healthy [[antioxidant]]s, and food is not a cause of acne.<ref>[http://www.acne-resource.org/acne-articles/chocolate-myth.html The Chocolate and Acne Myth]</ref> If eaten unsweetened, chocolate is generally believed to actually be healthy. However, most admit that the addition of sugar to chocolate largely cancels out its benefits. 

Women are stereotypically considered to be major consumers of sweetened chocolate.

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Food and Drink]]
[[Category:Belgian Food]]

Whisky

2018-01-03T18:20:47Z

BrendanCharlesCook: Fixed misspelling of beverages (formerly bevereges).

[[Image:whisky.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Scotch on the rocks.]]
'''Whisky''' refers to a group of [[Alcoholic drink|alcoholic beverage]]s (liquors) distilled from fermented cereal grains such as barley, rye, wheat or maize. The word derives from the Gaelic ''uisge beatha'' - water of life. (c.f. ''eau de vie'' for French spirits, ''aqua vitae'' in Italian, ''aquavit'' or ''akvavit'' in Scandinavian and ''okovita'' ([[vodka]]) in Poland and the Ukraine). The conventional spelling is '''whisky''' for spirits distilled in Scotland, Wales, Japan, Australia and Canada while '''whiskey''' is used for spirits from Ireland and the USA.

==Scottish Whiskies==

Known as "Scotch" there are two main types, [[Malt]] and [[Grain]]. Many popular brands are a blend of each type.

==Malt Whisky==

Malt whisky is made from malted [[barley]] and distilled in a pot still.

Malt whiskies may be [[single]] and come from one distillery (such as ''Glenfiddich'', ''Glenmorangie'' or ''Highland Park'') or [[vatted]] - a blend of malts from several distilleries (''Johnny Walker Blue Label''). Single malt whiskies are normally the choice of whisky connoisseurs with different regions of Scotland producing notably different styles and a range of complex flavours.

==Grain Whisky==

Grain whiskies are made from unmalted cereals and fermented in a continuous distillation process.

Generally grain whiskies are blended with unnamed malts to supply the cheaper end of the market (''Bells'', ''Teachers'', ''Famous Grouse'', ''Johnny Walker Red Label''). Blended whiskies are mostly used in mixed drinks, for example a "Scotch and American" (Whisky and dry ginger ale).

==Drinking Scotch==

Connoisseurs of fine malt Scotch will drink their whisky in a heavy based glass (usually lead crystal) either neat or with a very small splash of cold still water to help release the flavours. The addition of ice ("Scotch on the rocks") is frowned upon as it destroys the flavour.

==Moonshine Whiskey==
Moonshine, or home-made whiskey, has been a fixture of life in the Southern U.S.A for centuries. However, there was a surge of illicit moonshine production during prohibition throughout the entire country. Moonshine did, and continues to, cause many health problems, aside from alcoholism itself.

==Bourbon Whiskey==

Bourbon Whiskey is a uniquely American spirit, distilled from corn. True Bourbon can only be made in [[Kentucky]] but Bourbon-style Whiskey is made across the United States, and even across the world.

==See also==
* [[Alcoholic beverages]]
* [[Beer]]
* [[Taverns]]
* [[Wine]]
==Further reading==
* Downard, William L. ''Dictionary of the History of the American Brewing and Distilling Industries.'' (1980). 268 pp.
* McGovern, Patrick E. ''Uncorking the Past: The Quest for Wine, Beer, and Other Alcoholic Beverages'' (2009)

==References==
<references/>
[[Category:Alcoholic Beverages]]
[[Category:Scottish Cuisine]]

Piedmont

2018-01-03T03:42:04Z

BrendanCharlesCook: Added information on traditional foods of Piedmont.

'''Piedmont''' is a region in northwestern [[Italy]], the capital is [[Turin]]. To the south, west, and north Piedmont is surrounded by the vast arc of the Ligurian Apennines and the Maritime, Cottian, Graian, and Pennine Alps. The core of Piedmont is the Po River valley, which lies open to the east and consists of some of the best farmlands in Italy. Piedmont is known for delicious traditional foods, including [[chocolate]] and sparkling [[wine]]. <ref>https://www.britannica.com/place/Piedmont-region-Italy</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
*[http://www.regione.piemonte.it Official website of the region of Piedmont]

[[Category:Regions of Italy]]

Strawberry

2018-01-03T03:37:41Z

BrendanCharlesCook: Expanded stub on varieties of strawberries and use in cooking.

A '''strawberry''' is a small, red [[fruit]]. It grows above ground on small bushes and is slightly [[cone]] shaped. It has small yellow seeds which, unlike most berries, are on the outside of the fruit. Wild strawberries are generally very small, but domesticated fruits are much larger. Strawberries have played an important role in cooking and baking in [[Europe]] and [[North America]] for centuries.

[[Category:Fruits]]

Pineapple

2018-01-03T03:33:11Z

BrendanCharlesCook: Expanded stub by adding more details about growth of pineapples and their varieties.

[[Image:Pineapple.jpg|right|thumb]]
A '''pineapple''' is a [[tropical]] [[fruit]] with a tough prickly exterior and a serrated 'crown' of leaves. The interior of a pineapple can be bright yellow and when ripe is full of [[sugar]]s, which give it a sweet taste. The fruit develops from a cluster of flowers after a lengthy growing period. As with most domestic plants, pineapples come in many varieties, capable of growing under different conditions and producing fruits with a variety of flavors.

[[Category:Fruits]]

Chocolate

2018-01-03T03:24:42Z

BrendanCharlesCook: Expanded information on the production of chocolate around the world.

'''Chocolate''' is a foodstuff, originating from the [[cocoa bean]]. Chocolate is often used in desserts. [[Belgium]] is famous around the world for its chocolate.<ref>http://www.eupedia.com/belgium/belgian_chocolate.shtml</ref>

==History==
Chocolate originated in [[Mexico]] and was used by the Aztecs. A chocolate beverage called ''xocolatl'' (the Nahuatl source of the word ''cocoa'') that was the precursor to hot chocolate, but bitter and stronger, was a popular drink among them.<ref>http://www.godivachocolates.co.uk/the-history-of-chocolate-mayans-aztecs.html</ref> [[Montezuma]] drank around 50 cups of this beverage a day, according to legend. Chocolate was spread to the [[Old World]] after [[Hernan Cortes]] conquered Mexico and traded cocoa beans to [[Europe]] in exchange for European goods as part of the [[Columbian exchange]]. The Spanish made it into the drink we know today, heating the drink and adding [[sugar]]. Soon, chocolate was extensively used in desserts and drinks. Today, chocolate is produced throughout the equatorial portions of the world, from [[Venezuela]] to [[Madagascar]]. Half of the world's chocolate is now produced in the [[Ivory Coast]] under what are often terrible working conditions.

In 1765, chocolate production began in the New World. A water-powered mill in Dorchester, Massachusetts operated by John Hanan processed cocoa brought in from the West Indies by ship.<ref>http://0-academic.eb.com.www.consuls.org/levels/collegiate/article/82278</ref>

==Usage==
Nowadays, chocolate is most often eaten in the form of candy bars or hot cocoa (although chocolate eggs and rabbits are often available for sale during [[Lent]] since they are eaten in celebration of [[Easter]]). The top ten chocolate manufacturers in 2005 sold about US $42 billion in confectionary.<ref>[http://www.icco.org/about/chocolate.aspx The Chocolate Industry]</ref> There is a common belief that chocolate is bad for people's health and that it causes [[acne]]. In actuality, however, chocolate contains large amounts of healthy [[antioxidant]]s, and food is not a cause of acne.<ref>[http://www.acne-resource.org/acne-articles/chocolate-myth.html The Chocolate and Acne Myth]</ref> If eaten unsweetened, chocolate is generally believed to actually be healthy. However, most admit that the addition of sugar to chocolate largely cancels out its benefits. 

Women are stereotypically considered to be major consumers of sweetened chocolate.

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Food and Drink]]
[[Category:Belgian Food]]

Putharjhora

2018-01-03T03:19:54Z

BrendanCharlesCook: Expanded stub to add more information on tea production and tourism.

'''Putharjhora''' is a region in the extreme West of [[India]], known for the production of some of the finest [[black tea]] in [[South Asia]], and one of the few remaining wild populations of [[tigers]]. It is sparsely populated, but contributes disproportionately to India's GDP through its tea plantations and thriving tourism industry.

[[Category:India]]

Lion

2018-01-03T03:03:51Z

BrendanCharlesCook: Small expansions to sexual dimorphism among lions and hunting habits. Clarified savanna and plains as their natural habitat.

{{Taxonomy
|name=Lion
|image=Lion.jpg
|caption=
|superkingdom=
|kingdom=Animalia
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|phylum=Chordata
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|class=Mammalia
|subclass=
|infraclass=
|superorder=
|order=Carnivora
|suborder=
|infraorder=
|superfamily=
|families=
|family=Felidae
|subfamily=
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|genus= Panthera
|subgenus=
|species=P. leo
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The '''lion''' is a large [[feline]]. Today restricted to [[Africa]] south of the [[Sahara]] and a small population in the [[Kathiawar]] peninsula of [[India]], historically lions were also found throughout the [[Middle East]], North Africa and in Southern [[Europe]]; hunting down the Nemean Lion was amongst the twelve labours of [[Hercules]].

Lions are unusual amongst felines for their social habits, typically living in small family groups called prides, and their [[sexual dimorphism]], the male lion being readily distinguished from the lioness by his larger size and distinctive [[mane]], although certain varieties of maneless lions have been known to exist.

Hunting in lion prides is typically done by the lionesses, often with some waiting in [[ambush]] while others drive prey in their direction. The male lions are generally the first to eat, though. Lions are capable of hunting a wide range of potential prey, from animals as large as a [[water buffalo]] or [[yak]], to creatures as small as a [[rabbit]] or a [[lemur]]. They are known to feast on carrion as well as fresh meat.

Culturally, lions are usually associated with nobility and [[monarchy|kingship]], thanks to their laconic, regal air and fearsome predatory abilities. The lion is often colloquially known as 'king of the jungle', although lions do not in fact inhabit [[jungle]]s or [[rainforest]]s, and are typically found on plains and savannas.

== Man-eating lions ==

Although isolated attacks by lions on [[human]]s are not uncommon, the development of habitual [[anthropophagy]] is rare in lions. However, in East Africa in 1898 a pride of man-eating lions devoured nearly 140 [[railway]] workers constructing a bridge on the [[Uganda Railway]], severely disrupting work, before they were finally shot by [[J. H. Patterson]].<ref>[http://www.fieldmuseum.org/exhibits/exhibit_sites/tsavo/maneaters.html Lions of Tsavo]</ref>

== Lions in the Bible ==

Lions appear over 150 times in the [[Bible]].

The first long reference was [[Samson]]'s [[riddle]]:
<blockquote>
Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him. And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done. And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well. 
And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion. And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion. 
So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do. And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him. And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty change of garments: But if ye cannot declare it me, then shall ye give me thirty sheets and thirty change of garments. And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it. 
And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days expound the riddle. And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson's wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire: have ye called us to take that we have? is it not so? 
And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not: thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people, and hast not told it me. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell it thee? 
And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she lay sore upon him: and she told the riddle to the children of her people. 
And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And he said unto them, If ye had not plowed with my [[heifer]], ye had not found out my riddle. And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.<ref>Judges 14:5-19</ref>
</blockquote>
[[Image:Lion6.jpg|thumb|210px|right|Until the 1970s the scientific consensus was wrong on how lions killed their prey.<ref>http://ed5015.tripod.com/BLions87.htm</ref> The [[Bible]] was correct regarding how lions killed their prey.<ref>http://ed5015.tripod.com/BLions87.htm</ref>]]
The Prophet Isaiah gave a prophecy about the Coming of the Lord:
<blockquote>
But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den.<ref>Isaiah 11:4-8</ref>
</blockquote>
Daniel spent a night in the lions' den, but the Lord prevented the beasts from eating him.<ref>Daniel 6</ref>

''The lion which is mighty among beasts and does not retreat before any.'' Proverbs 30:30

 

==Lions in The Origin of Species==
[[Image:Lion.png|thumb|The constellation Leo.]]
Lions appear three times in [[The Origin of Species]].

<blockquote>
It has already been casually remarked that certain organs in the individual, which when mature become widely different and serve for different purposes, are in the embryo exactly alike. The embryos, also, of distinct animals within the same class are often strikingly similar: a better proof of this cannot be given, than a circumstance mentioned by Agassiz, namely, that having forgotten to ticket the embryo of some vertebrate animal, he cannot now tell whether it be that of a mammal, bird, or reptile. The vermiform larvae of moths, flies, beetles, &c., resemble each other much more closely than do the mature insects; but in the case of larvae, the embryos are active, and have been adapted for special lines of life. A trace of the law of embryonic resemblance, sometimes lasts till a rather late age: thus birds of the same genus, and of closely allied genera, often resemble each other in their first and second plumage; as we see in the spotted feathers in the thrush group. In the cat tribe, most of the species are striped or spotted in lines; and stripes can be plainly distinguished in the whelp of the lion. We occasionally though rarely see something of this kind in plants: thus the embryonic leaves of the ulex or furze, and the first leaves of the phyllodineous acaceas, are pinnate or divided like the ordinary leaves of the leguminosae.

The points of structure, in which the embryos of widely different animals of the same class resemble each other, often have no direct relation to their conditions of existence. We cannot, for instance, suppose that in the embryos of the vertebrata the peculiar loop-like course of the arteries near the branchial slits are related to similar conditions, in the young mammal which is nourished in the womb of its mother, in the egg of the bird which is hatched in a nest, and in the spawn of a frog under water. We have no more reason to believe in such a relation, than we have to believe that the same bones in the hand of a man, wing of a bat, and fin of a porpoise, are related to similar conditions of life. No one will suppose that the stripes on the whelp of a lion, or the spots on the young blackbird, are of any use to these animals, or are related to the conditions to which they are exposed.
</blockquote>

== References ==

<references />

{{Nb_zl_felines}}
[[Category:Felines]]
[[Category:Biblical Animals]]
[[Category:India]]
[[Category:Africa]]
[[Category:Animals]]

Whisky

2018-01-03T02:50:43Z

BrendanCharlesCook: I have added a section on Bourbon whiskey, to complement and complete the sections on moonshine and Scotch.

[[Image:whisky.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Scotch on the rocks.]]
'''Whisky''' refers to a group of [[Alcoholic drink|alcoholic beverage]]s (liquors) distilled from fermented cereal grains such as barley, rye, wheat or maize. The word derives from the Gaelic ''uisge beatha'' - water of life. (c.f. ''eau de vie'' for French spirits, ''aqua vitae'' in Italian, ''aquavit'' or ''akvavit'' in Scandinavian and ''okovita'' ([[vodka]]) in Poland and the Ukraine). The conventional spelling is '''whisky''' for spirits distilled in Scotland, Wales, Japan, Australia and Canada while '''whiskey''' is used for spirits from Ireland and the USA.

==Scottish Whiskies==

Known as "Scotch" there are two main types, [[Malt]] and [[Grain]]. Many popular brands are a blend of each type.

==Malt Whisky==

Malt whisky is made from malted [[barley]] and distilled in a pot still.

Malt whiskies may be [[single]] and come from one distillery (such as ''Glenfiddich'', ''Glenmorangie'' or ''Highland Park'') or [[vatted]] - a blend of malts from several distilleries (''Johnny Walker Blue Label''). Single malt whiskies are normally the choice of whisky connoisseurs with different regions of Scotland producing notably different styles and a range of complex flavours.

==Grain Whisky==

Grain whiskies are made from unmalted cereals and fermented in a continuous distillation process.

Generally grain whiskies are blended with unnamed malts to supply the cheaper end of the market (''Bells'', ''Teachers'', ''Famous Grouse'', ''Johnny Walker Red Label''). Blended whiskies are mostly used in mixed drinks, for example a "Scotch and American" (Whisky and dry ginger ale).

==Drinking Scotch==

Connoisseurs of fine malt Scotch will drink their whisky in a heavy based glass (usually lead crystal) either neat or with a very small splash of cold still water to help release the flavours. The addition of ice ("Scotch on the rocks") is frowned upon as it destroys the flavour.

==Moonshine Whiskey==
Moonshine, or home-made whiskey, has been a fixture of life in the Southern U.S.A for centuries. However, there was a surge of illicit moonshine production during prohibition throughout the entire country. Moonshine did, and continues to, cause many health problems, aside from alcoholism itself.

==Bourbon Whiskey==

Bourbon Whiskey is a uniquely American spirit, distilled from corn. True Bourbon can only be made in [[Kentucky]] but Bourbon-style Whiskey is made across the United States, and even across the world.

==See also==
* [[Alcoholic bevereges]]
* [[Beer]]
* [[Taverns]]
* [[Wine]]
==Further reading==
* Downard, William L. ''Dictionary of the History of the American Brewing and Distilling Industries.'' (1980). 268 pp.
* McGovern, Patrick E. ''Uncorking the Past: The Quest for Wine, Beer, and Other Alcoholic Beverages'' (2009)

==References==
<references/>
[[Category:Alcoholic Beverages]]
[[Category:Scottish Cuisine]]